Amelia watched Ethan walk towards Darrin to get ready to do what he did best, which turned out to be a town marshal. It had been something she'd been unwilling to embrace before because it scared her, all the things that could happen to him.
All the ways that he could die and she'd lose him. But the man without a name needed his skills and his dogged determination to find the man who killed him. She saw how Darrin reacted to the sight of Ethan and saw how he glanced at the exits but didn't take them. He smiled at them but Amelia knew he didn't mean it. Martha tried to soften the atmosphere by smiling but she looked uneasy.
"Ethan…Amelia what a surprise…"
Amelia shot the other woman a look knowing that she'd had her own plans for Ethan tied in with her own ambitions for what Paradise could become. Ethan just looked straight at Darrin.
"I'm here to see Mr. Wyatt here," he said, "I've got some questions for him and I hope he'll answer them."
Martha looked between the two men.
"I'm sure he'll do his best as always to help you."
That hadn't been true, Amelia knew because Darrin had brought in these security men to profit off of the insecurities of the local businessmen and probably manufactured the crimes that led to this as well. Maybe that's who this young man had been…not a vandal who wandered into town to take advantage of it but someone who had done it because he'd been paid to carry out an order…possibly by Darrin himself.
She didn't want to think that's what was happening in Paradise but she saw how it had played out in San Francisco. How a small collective of powerful and wealthy men ran most of the city, oversaw the majority of the businesses and few denied them. Warrick who'd been new to the city had been thinking about it but hadn't done anything yet. Amelia knew why he died…but here another young man had wound up dead and she had any clues as to why. She knew it was suspicious and she knew that Ethan felt the same way. But Darrin wouldn't help him find the answers to the questions he asked and neither would Martha for that matter.
She'd just smooth over her father's rough edges and make it more palatable. She knew how women like that worked, she'd seen that often enough too. Back when she'd been married to Pierce, the different circles they had frequented while traveling…before reaching Paradise.
Ethan didn't react to Darrin's insincere smile.
"Good…I want to know where to find two of your hired men," he said, "Burke and Trevor…"
Darrin stroked his chin.
"They've been reassigned," he said, "And I haven't decided where…I usually rotate my men around to keep them on their toes."
"I need to talk to them so I need you to tell me where they're staying in the meantime."
Darrin smiled again.
"Ethan…I can't do that," he said, "They work for me not for you and I don't like the way this so-called investigation of yours is going."
"I haven't started it yet but these two men were the last to see him alive."
Darrin shook his head.
"No…your deputy, Dakota and Charlie were the last ones," he said, "My men turned the man over to them to put in the cell overnight."
Ethan sighed.
"Dakota and Charlie were both called out on a disturbance," he said, "They left him alone for about an hour but your two men were seen hanging around earlier."
Darrin didn't look impressed.
"So…then it's their fault if something happened to the men," he said, "Don't blame their shortcomings on my men."
"I still need to ask them questions," Ethan said, "If they did nothing wrong, there's no reason to hide from me."
Darrin glared at him.
"They're not hiding," he said, "They're doing work for me…"
"Some place you can't tell me about…why is that Mr. Wyatt?"
Darrin tried smiling again.
"Because I've got them very busy working for me," he said, "Plans for the Founder's Day…you do know it's going to be the grandest ever."
Martha nodded.
"Oh yes…he does know that don't you Ethan?"
He just said nothing and Amelia who'd been watching them spoke up.
"A young man has died and the last men to see him were your two…that's why he needs to talk to them. What part of that don't you understand?"
Darrin just looked at the two of them.
"Excuse me, I have work to do,..."
He was going to leave but Ethan blocked his path and then suddenly Joseph entered the restaurant probably on a mid-day break.
"Uncle Ethan…Mrs. Lawson…"
"Joseph…"
Darrin just shook his head.
"I told you I must go and don't be bothering my men while they're hard at work."
Ethan looked over at Joseph, seeing that his nephew was on edge.
"What's going on? Anyone claimed the body yet?"
Joseph shook his head.
"But he's finally been Identified by that reporter, Ernie…"
That shocked Ethan and Amelia and they both looked at each other. Darrin still looked impatient and Ethan noticed he clenched his teeth together.
"Who is it Joseph?"
Joseph paused.
"Butch Walton…he's from San Francisco.
Ethan's eyes widened.
"How did Ernie know him?"
"He ran into him in the big city while working on some stories," he said, "He's connected with a man who died there."
Amelia took a deep breath.
"Warrick…?"
Joseph looked at her.
"Could be…I didn't get a name…but he's back at the wire office sending word to his publisher about it."
Darrin just folded his arms.
"What does that prove? The fact that he's not from here means he's just a drifter passing through to make trouble."
"I don't think so," Ethan said, "He's tied with a man in another city who's been murdered. The same city where the two men who captured him came from themselves…"
Martha gasped.
"Ethan you can't think…"
"I'm not thinking anything; I just know that I need to ask the two living men from that city some questions and your father is making that difficult."
Martha turned to her father.
"Why can't he speak with him? What harm will it do?"
Darrin didn't appear moved.
"I told you…they are very busy. Now we have to get back to work. I have paperwork for investors that have to make it on the morning stage."
She sighed but she followed her father out of the saloon. The three others just watched them go and then Ethan turned to Joseph.
"Thanks for the information."
Joseph shrugged.
"I was surprised the reporter knew him but Doc Carter was relieved;" he said, "Maybe now there's family that can come and collect him for burial."
Ethan didn't know about that not knowing if the guy even had family.
"I'd better get down there and get more information…and talk to Ernie…"
Amelia hadn't said anything but just watched the men talking. Ethan turned to her.
"I have to go talk with him…"
She nodded, trying to smile.
"I know…go ahead I'll see you later."
He kissed her softly on the mouth and then took off with Joseph leaving her alone. She tried to still her heartbeat which quickened once she heard the man's name. She had been shocked at the man's identity. What had he been doing in Paradise and then she thought she knew.
She walked out onto the street and Ernie walked quickly up to her.
"Amelia, thought I'd run into you."
"Hello," she said carefully.
"You heard the news I take it."
"News…?"
"About Butch Walton winding up dead here miles away from home."
She nodded, not able to deny it. The news would be spreading all over town like wildfire soon enough.
"You know why he's here don't you?"
She just looked at him, not wanting to say anything about that.
"Ernie…if you'll excuse me…I've got errands to run…"
He didn't seem eager to let her walk past him.
"You know why he got murdered don't you?"
She bit her lip just wanting to put distance between him and her.
"No…I don't…listen I know that he knew Warrick but that doesn't mean anything."
He sighed deeply.
"Of course it does Amelia…he came here seeking revenge for the man's death…because he knew the killers would be in Paradise. Probably tracked them here…"
She looked confused.
"That can't be…the men who killed Warrick can't be here…I haven't seen them."
"Maybe your paths hadn't crossed yet but I'm guessing that if Butch followed them here, then they are here someplace."
Amelia thought quickly trying not to let fear overwhelm her. She thought she'd gotten away from the men who had killed Warrick in front of her and…she forced her thoughts back…she had to stay calm and focused and not jump to conclusions.
"Like I said, I haven't seen them here," she said, "Maybe he got his towns mixed up."
"Maybe not…and I think not," Ernie said, "the two men who captured him were security guards for Mr. Wyatt right?"
She nodded, knowing where he was going.
"The maybe it's time to track them down and talk with them."
She sighed.
"Ethan tried that but Darrin won't reveal their location."
Ernie smiled craftily.
"Who's asking his permission," he said, "I'll go find them myself."
She watched him go and she knew that he was tenacious enough of a reporter to blow what happened back in San Francisco wide open and she didn't know how she'd handle that.
What she'd do next.